Liga F: Athletic Club win as top-three races produces more twists | OneFootball

Atlético Madrid and Athletic Club both claimed three points on matchday 18 of the Liga F season. Atleti moved into third spot with a narrow win over Sevilla, while Athletic finished the weekend in fourth position after they dismantled Real Betis.

Here, we will round up all the action from the weekend, including wins for Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Atlético Madrid 1-0 Sevilla

After dropping out of the top three last weekend, Atlético moved back into third position with a narrow victory in Friday’s home clash with Sevilla. Tatiana Pinto found the all-important breakthrough in the 51st minute. The 30-year-old saw her driven strike deflect past Esther Sullastres and into the Sevilla net. The hosts ultimately held on to their narrow advantage to condemn Sevilla to a second straight defeat.

Levante Badalona 0-2 Granada

Granada moved to within six points of the top three with a successful away outing against Badalona. The visitors opened the scoring in the opening five minutes of the second period. Isabel Álvarez took control from a free-kick on the right flank, curling a left-foot strike over Laura Coronado and in at the far post. As the contest entered the final 10 minutes, Alexia Férnandez doubled Granada’s advantage with her third league goal of the season. The 22-year-old chopped onto her right foot and poked the ball into the far corner to wrap up all three points. The visitors would have also been pleased to clinch a third consecutive clean sheet.

Eibar 1-2 Madrid CFF

Madrid CFF were awarded a 19th-minute penalty when Andrea Álvarez was penalised for a handball. Mônica stepped up to roll the ball into the bottom corner, sending her side into the break with a narrow lead. Esther Laborde went on to double her side’s advantage with a stunning long-range effort in the second period. The 20-year-old’s ambitious effort swerved and dipped before it went in off the underside of the crossbar. Eibar’s Laura Camino headed the ball home in the 90th minute to halve the deficit at Ipurua. However, Madrid held their nerve in the remaining moments to end their five-game winless league run.

Levante 1-2 Real Madrid

Real Madrid were awarded a 23rd-minute penalty after the referee ruled that former Levante player Alba Redondo had been fouled in the box. Caroline Weir assumed responsibility, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to net her fourth league goal of the season. Just moments later, Redondo managed to find the net against her previous employers. The strike latched onto Weir’s neat flick before drilling the ball into the bottom corner. Real Madrid were unable to retain their two-goal cushion, conceding just before half time. Eva Alonso powered a header home from a corner to give her team renewed belief ahead of the break. Unfortunately for Levante, they failed to push on after the half-time interval. Las Blancas ultimately stood firm to record a third consecutive win in Liga F.

Real Sociedad 1-2 Deportivo La Coruña

Real Sociedad were unable to reclaim their spot in the top three after being knocked down to fourth by Atleti. The hosts would have been content at the break after they opened the scoring through Elen Guridi. The midfielder guided home her second Liga F goal of the season after being teed up by Nerea Eizagirre.

However, the complexion of the contest changed when Elene Lete was given her marching orders in the 50th minute. The shot-stopper came rushing out of her box, before failing to take the ball in a challenge on Ainhoa Marín. The referee ultimately decided that Lete had denied a goalscoring opportunity. Unfortunately for the hosts, backup goalkeeper Olatz Santana could not prevent Olaya Rodríguez from rifling a long-range free-kick into the net. Dépor completed the turnaround just two minutes later when Millene Cabral drilled the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. The visitors have now moved six points clear of danger with 12 matches left to play.

Valencia 1-2 Costa Adeje Tenerife

Basement side Valencia moved closer to relegation with a narrow defeat to Tenerife. The hosts made a positive start to proceedings, taking the lead in the 13th minute. Yasmin Mrabet produced a flick header from a near-post corner to score her first Valencia goal. However, Tenerife were given the chance to equalise from the penalty spot in the opening stages of the second half after María José Pérez had been brought down in the box. Rinsola Babajide assumed responsibility to calmly slot home from 12 yards. The visitors went on to snatch all three points thanks to Gift Monday’s 90th-minute winner. The forward slid the ball under Antonia Canales to score her sixth goal in five Liga F matches.

Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona

Barcelona had to be patient in their derby clash against Espanyol. Caroline Graham Hansen found the all-important breakthrough in the 73rd minute. The Norway international nodded the ball in from Esmee Brugts’ inswinging cross. Salma Paralluelo then added a second to wrap up all three points for the Liga F leaders.

Unfortunately, the game was overshadowed by a first-half incident. A clip went viral on social media after it appeared to show Mapi Leon touch Daniela Caracas around the groin area. Espanyol released a statement to accuse Leon of “violating the privacy” of Caracas, as they expressed their “total condemnation at events”. They also said that their player had been “subject to hundreds of social media insults”.

In response, Leon strongly denied the accusation via her own statement. The Barcelona defender said: “At no time did I, nor was it my intention, infringe upon the intimacy of my fellow professional Daniela Caracas. As the images show, it was part of a playing action in which she deliberately touches me and I touch her leg saying in reaction to the clash: ‘what’s up with you’. There is no contact with her private parts, and certainly no intention. I insist it was just part of the game that does not warrant the importance that has been attached to it.”

Real Betis 0-4 Athletic Club

Athletic are sitting just one point adrift of the top three after they swept past Betis at the weekend. Ane Azkona tapped in from a rebound to put the visitors in front. Clara Pinedo then fired home from the edge of the box to double the visitors’s advantage. Not content with their two-goal lead, Athletic added a third shortly before the half-time interval. Maddi Torre knocked the ball into the net from close range to score her first Liga F goal of the season. The top-three hopefuls added a fourth in the second period courtesy of a Rhiannon Roberts own goal. As for Betis, they remain just two points clear of the relegation zone.

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